Indication means for light-signals.



C. 0. HARRINGTON.

INDICATION MEANS FOR LIGHT SIGNALS.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 8. I914.

Patented June 6, 1916.

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FIG-1 WITNESSES INVENTOR a'zW c. 0. HARRINGTON.

INDICATION MEANS FOR UGHT SIGNALS. APPLICATION FILED MAY 8,1914- Patented June 6, 1916.

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UNITED STATES PATENT onmoa.

CLINTON O. HARRINGTON, 0F EDGEWOOD BOROUGH, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO THE UNION SWITCH AND SIGNAL COMPANY, OF SWISSVALE, PENNSYLVANIA, A

CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA.

INDICATION MEANS FOR LIGHT-SIGNALS.

Patented June 6, 1916.

Application filed May 8, 1914. Serial N 0. 837,194.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CLINTON O. HARRING- TON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Edgewood borough, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Indication Means for Light-Signals, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to signals and particularly to signals of the type in which electric lamps are employed for giving indications. v

More particularly the invention relates to means for indicating whether or not a lamp is illuminated.

My invention is particularly adapted for use in connection with apparatus of the type in which one or more signal lamps are controlled by a circuit controlling lever, which is usually one of a plurality of levers comprised in an interlocking machine. The circuit controlling lever is as usual provided with an indication device. One feature of my invention is the provision of means for controlling this indication device by the current flowing in one or more of the signal lamps.

I will describe several forms of apparatus embodying my invention and will then point out the novel features thereof in claims.

In the accompanying drawing, Figure 1 is a view showing diagrammatically one form of apparatus embodying my invention, the indication device being controlled by current in one lamp only. Fig. 2 is a view showing a modification of the apparatus shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 1 but showing two lamps and the indication device controlled by the current flowing in both lamps. Fig. 4 is a view showing a modification of the apparatus shown in Fig. 3.

Similar reference characters refer to similar parts in each of the several views.

Referring first to Fig. 1, I have here shown a signal S comprising an electric lamp L and a lens 22 for projecting a beam of light from the lamp. The lamp is at times supplied with current from an alternating current generator C, and the supply of this current is controlled by contacts operated by a manually operable lever H.

As here shown, a transformer A is interposed between the lamp and the generator, the lamp being connected with the secondary of the transformer. The circuit of the primary of transformer A includes a contact block J operated by lever H, which block coacts with a fixed contact Gr. When the lever H is in one extreme position, which 1s the position shown and which I will term the normal position, the lamp L is supplied with current from the generator C, the circuit being from terminal 10 of generator C, through wire 2, contact block J, contact G, wire 1, primary of transformer A, wire 3 to the terminal 11 of generator C. The lamp L will then be illuminated. When the lever is moved far enough in the direction of the arrow, block J moves out of engagement with contact G, thereby extinguishing lamp L. As has been stated hereinbefore, the lever H is usually one of a plurality of levers embodied in an interlocking machine, and because of the fact that other levers are usually controlled by lever II,- it is desirable that the complete return movement of this lever to its normal position shall be prevented until an indication has been received that the lamp L is illuminated. To accomplish this, I provide a dog F on lever II, which dog coacts with a latch E, which is in turn operated by the armature of a magnet D. The latch does not interfere with the movement of the lever away from the normal position, but in order to get the lever II back to its normal position, the magnet D must be energized, thus lifting the latch E out of the path of dog F. As here shown, magnet D is energized from a transformer B whose primary is included in series with lamp L and the secondary of transformer A, and the circuit for this magnet is controlled by a contact block 12 on the lever H which block engages at times with a contact finger 18. The circuit for magnet D is from one terminal of the secondary of transformer B, through wire I, contact 1312, magnet D, wire 5, to the other terminal of the secondary of transformer B.

During the return movement of lever H, block J first engages contact G, thereby energizing transformer A,and the dog F then strikes latch E. Contact 13-12 is at this time closed, and if current is then flowing in the circuit containing lamp L, magnet D will be energized. This magnet then raises the latch E out of the path of dog K, thus permitting the stroke of lever H to be completed. Just before the stroke of the lever is completed, the contact block 12 is moved beyond contact 13 so that the magnet D is no longer energized.

It will be seen that if for any reason the circuit containing lamp L is open, as for example in case lamp L burns out, the magnet D could not be energized and the latch E would not be raised, and the complete return of the lever to its normal position would be prevented.

The apparatus shown in Fig. 2 is the same as that shown in Fig. 1, except that magnet D is controlled by a relay T which in turn is energized by transformer B. The armature of relay T comprises two fingers 20 and 21 which coact respectively with fixed contacts TV and Z; these fingers are so adjusted that when the relay is energized by current of normal value, both fingers are in engagement with their contacts, but that when the current is below normal, finger 20 does not touch contact TV, and that when the current is above normal finger 21, does not touch contact Z. As the lever H is returned to the normal position, transformer A, lamp L and transformer B are energized as in Fig. 1. Relay T is then energized through a circuit from one terminal of the secondary of transformer B, wire 16, the winding of relay T, wire 1?, to the other terminal of the secondary of transformer B. If the lamp is burning in normal condition, the current in relay T will be of such value that contacts lV-2O and Z21 will be closed. Magnet D will then be energized, its circuit being from terminal 11 of generator C, wire 14, contact W, relay springs 20 and 21, contact Z, wire 15, winding of magnet D, contact 1213, wire 23, to terminal 10 of the generator C. If for any reason the lamp circuit should be open, or if not enough current is flowing through the lamp filament, the relay T will in the one case not be energized at all, and in the other case will be energized below its normal valueso that contact spring 20 will not touch contact VJ, thus opening the circuit which controls magnet D. On the other hand, if the filament of lamp L should become short-circuited, relay T would become strongly energized and relay spring 21 would not touch contact Z and the control circuit of magnet D would be open.

Referring now to Fig. 8, the signal S here shown comprises two electric lamps L and L, which lamps indicate clear and danger respectively, usually by giving light of different colos, such as green and red. These lamps are at times supplied with current from the alternating current generator C. Lamp L is connected with the sec ondary of transformer A, and lamp L is connected with the secondary of transformer A. Lever H is in this case provided with an additional contact block N which. coacts with a contact finger K to control lamp L As in Fig. 1, when the lever H is in the extreme position hereinbefore termed the normal position, contact block J makes connection with contact G and lamp L is supplied with current from the source C, the circuit for transformer A being from terminal 10 of generator C, through wire 2, contact G, block J, wire 1, primary of transformer A, wire 7 to generator C. Thus the lamp L is illuminated and lamp L? is extinguished because block N is not in engagement with contact K.

When it is desired to extinguish lamp L and illuminate lamp L lever H is moved in the direction of the arrow until block J leaves contact G and block N engages contact K. Transformer A is then energized through a circuit which is similar to that hereinbefore traced for transformer A and the lamp L will be illuminated.

For the reason explained hereinbefore, it is desirable to prevent the complete return of the lever H to the normal position until some positive assurance has been secured that lamp L is illuminated and lamp L" extinguished, that is, that the signal indicates danger. This is accomplished by means similar to that shown in Fig. 1, with the exception that the circuit for energizing magnet D is controlled by a relay P ineluded in series with lamp L as well as by transformer T3. The circuit for energizing magnet D is from one terminal of the secondary of transformer B, through contact 9st of relay P, wire 5, winding of magnet D, contact block 12, contact 13, wire 4 to the other terminal of the secondary of transformer B. Now as the lever is returned .to the normal position and its movement is arrested by latch E as has been explained in connection with Fig. 1, contact block J and contact G are engaged, so that transformer A is energized, thus illuminating lamp L Since transformer 13 is in the circuit of this lamp it will be energized, and in turn will energize magnet I). With the energization' of magnet D, the lever is permitted to complete its mowement as has been explained in connection with Fig. 1. If for any reason the lamp L is illuminated at the same time as lamp L relay P will be energized and picked up accordingly, thus opening the circuit of magnet D at contact 2% so that lever Tl cannot be returned to the normal positlon.

The apparatus shown in Fig. 4 is the same as that shown in Fig. 3, except that transformer B in the circuit of lamp L is replaced by a relay P, and magnet D is energized by generator G. As the lever is returned. to the normal position, contact G engages contact block J, thus energizing transformer A as before. \Vhen transformer A is thus energized, lamp L will be illuminated and the relay P will be energized. lVith the energization of relay P the magnet D will operate and the lever H will be permitted to complete its stroke. The circuit for magnet D is from terminal 10 of generator C, through wires 26 and 4, contact 13 and contact block 12, the winding of magnet D, wire 5, contact 24 of relay P, contact 25 of relay P, wires 9 and 7 to terminal 11 of generator C.

If the lamp L should by accident be burning at the same time as lamp L the relay P, which is connected in series with L would be energized and its contact 24L would be open, thus opening the circuit which controls the magnet D and preventing the return of lever H to normal position.

Although I have herein shown and described only a few forms of apparatus embodying my invention, it is understood that various changes and modifications may be made therein within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. In combination, a signal comprising an electric lamp, a circuit for said lamp includ ing a source of current, a transformer whose primary is included in said lamp circuit, a relay connected with the secondary of said transformer and responsive to the normal value of current received therefrom to close its contacts but not responsive to current above or below said normal value to close its contacts, and an indicating device controlled by said relay.

2. In combination, a signal comprising an electric lamp, a circuit including said lamp and a source of current, an indicating device, and a relay receiving current from said circuit for controlling said indicating device, said relay being responsive to the normal value of current to cause the indicating device to indicate that the lamp is illuminated, but not to current above or below said normal value.

3. In combination, a signal comprising an electric lamp, a circuit including said lamp and a source of current, an indicating device, and means responsive to current in said lamp circuit for controlling said indicating device, said means being efiectively responsive to current of the normal value but not to current above the normal value.

a. In combination, a signal comprising an electric lamp, a circuit including said lampmeans for supplying alternating current to said circuit, a lever of an interlocking machine for controlling said circuit, a transformer whose primary is included in said circuit, and indication means for said lever positively affected by the presence of current in the secondary of said transformer when the lamp is illuminated to release the lever.

6. In combination, a signal comprising an electric lamp, a transformer whose secondary is connected with said lamp, means for supplying alternating current to the primary of said transformer, a lever of an interlocking machine for controlling the supply of alternating current to said primary, and means governing the movement of said lever positively aifected by the presence of current in said lamp and said transformer secondary for indicating that the lamp is illuminated and for releasing the lever so that it may be moved.

7. In combination, a signal comprising an electric lamp, means for supplying current to said lamp, a lever of an interlocking machine for controlling the supply of current to said lamp, and means associated with said lever positively affected by current flowing in said lamp to illuminate it to permit of a movement of the lever.

8. In combination, a railway signal comprising an electric lamp, a lever of an interlocking machine, means controlled by a partial movement of said lever for causing illumination of said lamp, an indication device for preventing completion of the movement of said lever, and means controlled by the current flowing in said lamp for causing operation of said indication device to release the lever so that the movement of the latter may then be completed.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

CLINTON O. HARRINGTON.

Witnesses:

A. HERMAN WEGNER, R. L. KISTLER.

Gopic: of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

